InkintheBlood (7 page)

Izzy tried to pull her arm back, but it was too late. One
hand wrapped around her wrist as the other pushed the capped sleeve up to her
shoulder to reveal the red-and-gold sunset.

“Is this real?” He ran his thumb over the ink as if
expecting it to smear.

“You sound surprised. You’ve always known who my family is.”

“I thought I was your family. That our father was your
family.”

Even though she’d planned to keep the tattoo hidden, the
anger in his eyes made her almost happy it’d been discovered. Her uncle had
been right. She had gotten it for them to see. So they’d know she was no longer
a puppet on their drug-laden strings. “No, you and Dad were unfortunate life
lessons I had to learn.” She’d blown her cover a little early but it was worth
it to see Alex’s handsome face contort into one of rage and betrayal.

“Bitch!” The back of his hand connected with her cheek and
the contact sent a sharp pain radiating through her head. “After all Dad and I
did for you.”

Jacob tensed behind her but he didn’t move. He still seemed
willing to let her take the lead in this and let it play out. He probably
wouldn’t have, had he known what she was planning to do next though. Letting go
of Jacob’s hand, she looked Alex in the eye. She refused to back down to him.
“You’re right. I never did thank you properly.”

Before he could move, she reared back and slammed the heel
of her hand into the tip of his nose while pushing up and forward at the same
time. The impact didn’t kill him, but the pain and the wave of bright-red blood
that rushed down his face did stun him for a moment.

“God damn it!” Jacob cried from behind her. “Now! Now! Now!”

But there wasn’t enough time to wait for the backup. Seeing
the guards reach for their guns, Izzy turned so her body was shielding Jacob’s.
Then, forcing her mind to focus, she concentrated on protecting him and nothing
else.

The familiar pain from her dreams enveloped her, leaving her
gasping for breath. But this wasn’t a dream. Memories flooded her as she clung
to Jacob. They were memories of her body twisting as she lay on her rehab cot.
Her soul would scream with each new form she took.

Demons and angels danced in her mind, filling in the gaps
she wished had been left blank. But they also gave her the answer she’d been
searching for. With a soft whoosh of air, the pain stopped. Feathers brushed
across her cheeks as she wrapped the large wings around Jacob to shield and
protect him.

She heard the hollow ring of gunfire and felt the piercing
pain of bullets as she and Jacob fell to the ground together. But it all seemed
wrong somehow. Even Jacob gently pushing her off him seemed to happen in slow
motion.

Lying on her back, she shifted from angel back to human as
she watched the battle play out around her. Alex’s groupies scattered for
safety when Jacob began to return fire. The guards weren’t so lucky. Jacob hit
one and then turned toward the other. His shots were quick and well aimed.

The only remaining threat was Alex. Looking around, Izzy
found him taking cover under a table. He was crouched low to the floor and the
Glock in his hands was aimed at Jacob. Pushing through the blinding pain, she
crawled to her handbag and grabbed her 9mm. The cool metal of the gun was
reassuring in her hands as she quickly aimed and fired. She watched Alex’s head
rock back sharply then, unable to ignore the pain any longer, she slipped into
a numb blackness.

Sunlight woke Izzy. At first she didn’t remember what’d
happened, but the sharp pains in her shoulder, chest and side quickly reminded
her. Visions of Toxic, Jacob and Alex flashed through her mind and brought with
them a feeling of hollow victory.

Blinking rapidly against the light, she opened her eyes
cautiously. As the room came into focus, she instantly knew where she was.
She’d been at Angels of Mercy too often not to recognize the décor.

“It’s nice to see you waking, child.” Bastion’s warm voice
was exactly the one she’d expected to hear.

Staring up into his gentle green eyes, she smiled. “How did
I get here?”

He gestured to a corner of the room where Jacob slept in a
very uncomfortable-looking chair. “He brought you. Four days ago.”

“He did?”

“You’re lucky he thought of us. Your injuries were
extensive.”

“What about Alex?”

Bastion smiled bitterly at the name. “Your aim was good.
Nothing could bring him back.”

She breathed a sigh of relief at the news. Still, she felt
somehow empty. “Thank you, Bastion.”

“You’ve destroyed a monster, yet you look sad.”

“For seven years I’ve wanted to get even with him. It’s all
I thought about…”

“Ah, I see. It’s not everything you thought it would be?”

“He wasn’t a monster. He was a sad, pathetic soul.”

“That doesn’t make his death worth mourning.”

“No, I’m not mourning him.” She didn’t know why his death
left her feeling so numb, but it did. “I just thought I would feel…”

“Happy, fulfilled, free?”

“All of the above.”

“Oh Izzy. Your soul is good. It could never feed off a
death. Even if it was justified.” He smiled as he pulled the gown back over her
exposed tattoo. “But if it makes you feel any better, I’m proud of you. And
your mother would have been proud too. She was such a strong fighter. You’re a
lot like her.”

Seeing the pain in his eyes made her heart ache. “I was so
mad at her for so long. I didn’t understand why she had to do it. I didn’t know
why she’d tried to go after my father. By the time I realized she was doing it
to protect her daughters, it was too late. Now all I can do is miss her.” Her
gaze fell to her uncle’s shoulder reflexively as she searched out the sunset
ink hidden under the heavy robes. “She sacrificed everything for Nikki and me.”

He saw the movement of her eyes and smiled sadly. “She made
her share of mistakes, but she had a good soul. She was a good mother to you
and your sister.”

“Something I would have never known without you.” Her voice
was soft as she thought about her stay here seven years ago. It was then that
she’d finally managed to get sober and he’d told her about her mother’s death
and her father’s role in it.

“I’m sure I wasn’t the first to tell you.”

“No, but you stuck with me until I was finally ready to
listen.”

“I would have given anything to raise you and Nikki, but…”

She didn’t like the lines of guilt that surrounded his eyes
as he spoke. Gus she couldn’t forgive. He’d turned his back on her and Nikki
time and time again. He’d even turned a blind eye to Izzy’s budding drug habit
out of fear of retaliation from her father. But Bastion she did forgive.
Bastion had been there when it truly mattered. “We would have loved that, but
we understand. You’d already taken your vows.”

He nodded solemnly and then turned to look at Jacob. “God
does work in mysterious ways, doesn’t he?”

She was used to her uncle talking in riddles, but even she
couldn’t follow him this time. “What do you mean?”

His gaze seemed locked on Jacob. “If I hadn’t taken my vows,
and if you hadn’t lived through those hellish years before finding your way
back to me, you might not have met your Chosen.”

Her gaze followed his and her heart contracted painfully.
“He’s not mine.”

“I don’t know if he’d agree. He’s barely left your side
since he brought you in.”

The conversation was quickly making her uncomfortable. As
much as she loved the thought of Jacob sitting next to her and waiting for her
to wake up, she doubted her uncle had guessed correctly. “He’s just being a
good guy, Bastion. I was hurt on his watch. He feels responsible, nothing
more.”

His eyes clouded at the words. “I’ve seen the way he looks
at you.”

“Maybe there was something but not now. Not after that
night. The things he saw. I can only imagine what he must think of me.”

Bastion, however, didn’t appear to be convinced. “What? You
think he’s going to be upset that you saved his life? Or that you took another
shape to do so? Do you really think so little of him?” Bastion shook his head
before he continued. “I, for one, am eternally grateful for your ability. Those
bullets would’ve hit their mark if you’d been in human form. The only thing
that saved you was, several of your key organs had to move in order to make
room for those wings of yours—including your heart. So they not only saved him,
they saved you as well. I think that’ll be enough to ensure he loves your wings
as much as I do.” He sniffled and looked away from her but not before she saw
the gleam of tears in his eyes.

She wanted to believe Bastion. She wanted to say she trusted
Jacob to do the right thing. So much so that she felt horrible when she
realized that she couldn’t. Bastion hadn’t been there when Jacob freaked out
about Mitch starting a tiny flame. Her shifting shapes wasn’t going to go
unnoticed. And it hadn’t been a small shift either. Nope. When she destroyed
relationships, she didn’t do it by half measures. To humans, to him, she’d
always be a freak—or worse, a monster.

She gazed at Jacob for a moment longer, but, the pain too
great, she finally returned her attention to Bastion. “I don’t know. It’s a lot
for someone to accept. But that’s okay. I’ve accepted who and what I am and
that’s enough. Actually it’s probably for the best for it to end like this. The
races are too different and the differences too great to overcome.”

“He knows what you are, child. And he knows the differences.
Yet he chose to sleep in that god-awful chair for three nights just to be by
your side when you woke.”

“He’s seen what I can become, but he doesn’t know what he’d
have to sacrifice to be with me.” Her eyes slid away from Bastion’s as she said
the words. “I look like a human, but that doesn’t make me one. And he doesn’t
even have the luxury of the lie. Our people would never accept him. Then
there’s the issue of children.” He’d be a great father someday, but not to her
children. The knowledge tore at her soul. “Trapped between worlds is no way to
live a life.”

“Maybe, but don’t you think that’s his decision to make? Be
honest in your dialogue. But then let him decide, Isabella.” He backed away
from her bed abruptly. “I have other patients to see, but I’ll be back soon.”

After the door shut behind him, she turned to Jacob’s
still-reclined form. She noticed for the first time that his breathing was
shallower than it should be. “You aren’t asleep, are you?”

“No. How’d you know?” He opened one eye a sliver but
otherwise didn’t move.

“Your breathing, it’s deeper when you’re asleep.”

“I see.”

“So I guess I have a lot to explain.”

“You could, but later. We’ve got plenty of time.” He stood
and made his way to her bed. Of course, he brought his intoxicating scent with
him. “You know, I never believed in any of this. Not in God, angels or
religion.”

She shook her head at the misconception. “We aren’t
religious entities sent to Earth to protect humankind, Jacob. We don’t work
like that.”

His shoulders shook softly with silent laughter as he looked
down at her. “Like hell you aren’t. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. I
know a lot was happening, but I saw the wings, Izzy.”

“I’m not an angel. I’m a child of God, not his messenger.
Saving you was a choice I made. It wasn’t an order I was following.”

“Maybe. But I don’t see why you’re making the distinction.”

“Because some of us are good but some are apathetic and
others are evil. You need to know that it’s our choices that make the
difference, not our births.”

“I don’t care what you are.” He ran his fingers over her
forehead and the touch made her heart race. “Angel or not, you’re alive. That’s
all that matters to me.”

She studied him carefully and found his calm more than a
little surprising. “You’re taking this really well. I didn’t expect you to
stick around. Not after the way you reacted to our conversation about magic.”

“I told you, I needed time to think—and I’ve had nothing but
time.”

“Still, you don’t know everything.”

“And I don’t need to. I know enough.”

“You say that now, but—”

“No!” His smile slipped away at the word and was replaced by
heavy lines of stress and tension. “Don’t say it. Don’t try to tell me how I’m
going to feel tomorrow or even ten years from now. You almost died, Izzy. I was
covered in your blood. I…” He looked away and took a deep breath as the muscle
in his jaw twitched.

“Jacob.” She knew where the conversation was going. She
could tell by his tone that in his mind his choice had been made. And as much
as she wished for it to be true, there was one thing he had to hear before
committing to anything.

Her stomach cramped painfully as she thought about what she
was going to say. He’d accepted so much. She didn’t see how he could accept any
more. “Before you say anything else, there
is
one thing I need to tell
you. Just one more thing you
do
need to know.” She took a deep breath
before starting. “I am different. We are different.”

“I don’t care,” he interrupted.

She put a finger to his lips to silence him. “The blood
doesn’t mix. It’s incompatible.”

“So no transfusions?” he teased.

“No, so no children.”

He looked out the window, his face dark as he stood deep in
thought. Her stomach continued to twist painfully as she watched him, but she
didn’t say anything. She’d told him the truth and now it was his decision.

After what felt like an eternity, he turned to face her
again. “There are lots of couples who can’t have children, but they still love
each other.” His voice was soft as he said the words. It was as if he were
asking for a confirmation.

“They do.” She was still cautious, but for the first time
she could feel hope beginning to creep through her.

He smiled broadly, his eyes glowing with happiness. “I’ve
actually heard it’s quite trendy to adopt right now.”

She could see his happiness and found herself relaxing in
its glow. “Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves?”

“Children or no children, I know you’re the one I want to be
with. The one I love. What else is there?”

Her breath caught at the simple yet eloquent statement.
“Nothing.” As she said the word, she felt the tingling warmth of happiness
sweep away the years of loneliness. And, staring up at Jacob, her uncle’s words
made sense. It wasn’t revenge her soul needed. It had never been what her soul
needed.

“Then we’ll be fine, no matter what life throws at us.”

“Don’t say that, it’s courting trouble.”

“After what we’ve been through…”

“You still have to meet my sister.”

“Is she anything like your half brother?”

“No, not Nikki.” She shook her head. “She’s a bit
overprotective though.”

“Overprotective I can deal with. Arrange it and I’ll be
there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Whatever it takes, Izzy.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

She was overwhelmed by emotion as he handed her what she’d
needed to finally be free. “I love you, Agent Phinney.”

He brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, placing it gently
behind her ear. “Good, now I know you won’t hurt me when I tell you I preferred
you as a redhead.”

She laughed as she shifted her hair back to red. “Red it
is.”